


Pay it forward - the secret benefactor

by Shackett74



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28245285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shackett74/pseuds/Shackett74
Summary: Christmas-time 2183Somewhere in the Milky Way - in a living room near you. ;-)





	Pay it forward - the secret benefactor

**Author's Note:**

> We only know this guy from work so I came to focus partially on how his living room could look like. 
> 
> Thought I'd explore the narrative through a mostly distant 3rd narrative here as I pictured it might fit the more secretive setting.  
> 

_Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose..._

The soft, smooth voice of the 20th-century singer Nat King Cole filled the quiet and peaceful apartment where red, blue, and steely grey glittery festoons hang from wooden bookshelves, filled with row after row of unique paper books. Two historic maps of Earth hung on another wall and on a third the lone, framed picture of a young smiling couple next to a white and sky blue colored flag. Underneath the picture hung a curved blade in a beautifully ornamented, black-lacquered sheath.

_He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh..._

A suite of a magnificent two-person chesterfield sofa in crimson, adorned the center of the living room. It had the typical pattern of deeply attached buttons in its leather and flanking it stood a similar pair of massive, leather armchairs. In the center was a low, coffin-like living room table made of acacia wood, and together the furniture created a rustic feel of restrained, male elegance.

In a third, well used and worn chesterfield, rested a grizzled, lean man comfortably.   
Albeit not a youth the man still displayed the fit shape of a dancer, or perhaps a gymnast, wearing a dark blue, knitted pullover with a wide, buttoned neck, together with a pair of loose and dark grey, high-twist wool trousers.

The expression on the man's usually impassive face was one of carefree merriment that few got to see.

Contrasting sharply to his well-dressed appearance was the fluffy pair of knitted, blue socks on the man's crossed feet.  
It was one of the considerate and handmade Christmas gifts from an employee who knew he had no family who would spoil him.  
Each Christmas his personnel did it instead, for they knew they were as close to a family he had.   
Then he always placed the presents on the living room table where he could see them.

As a matter of fact, he usually opened half of them before Christmas day each year, it was his only deviation from his otherwise steely, self-discipline. The presents never failed to warm his heart immeasurably each year, no matter the content.   


Now he slumped in his favorite chair, newly showered with bangs hanging damp, halfway down his forehead, and a half-smile playing on his lips as he neared the end of a yearly email to the person in charge of his secret initiative back home in Buenos Aires.

_And every mother's child is gonna spy to see if reindeer really knows how to fly..._

Cole's smooth voice and bull's eye-words lured a warmer more knowing smile from the man, evocative of his childhood Christmas's now long gone.

A heartfelt sigh mixed the missing with gratitude inside the man before he finally sent his own symbolic sack from Santa, filled with would-be-gifts that he hoped would bring the same joy to children like his mother's endeavor each Christmas, no matter how poor they were.

_And so I'm offering this simple phrase..._

The email he was about to send represented a decades-long, yearly tradition born from the idea to help children in the same situation as he had once ended up in when _his_ mother suddenly died. 

Then twenty years ago, he finally earned enough to execute his idea. With the help of his old-time mentor and rescuer, Father Alvarez, they had found reliable people with their hearts in the right place, and from there, his idea had slowly grown into a small organization working to give other Buenos Airen orphans a chance to study and hopefully a fair future.

Luckily, he was only one of several benefactors nowadays but had remained the secret patron through the years by choice. 

_Although it's been said many times, many ways - Merry Christmas to You..._

And this year he intended to bring the kids an extra surprise.  
He earned more than enough, especially since this year had brought a substantial salary raise to him personally, after some daring initiatives in the line of work that had turned out successful. The other reason involved a tragic loss soon after his own sudden prosperity.  
Unfortunately, that dreadful event resulted in the death of the, perhaps most multi-talented operative he had ever encountered. And in a sense, she too had been an orphan. 

"And we pay it forward, don't we? the benefactor murmured absentmindedly as he slumped back in his chair and drank deeply from the cinnamon tea.

_~~~_

**Location** : Buenos Aires.   
**Year** : December, 2183 CE 

The director for the two orphanages in the megatropolis sat behind her desk and finished some excruciatingly boring paperwork when the yearly Christmas email from their secret patron, appeared in the mailbox. Curious, she opened it.

Director Algada,

It pleased me greatly to read Your latest report on the progress of the children's studies and welfare.  
  
Don't hesitate to reach out to me if the need of extra scholarships to the Academy should suddenly arise.

Other than that continue to think big and grow small.  
The most important task is as always to let it remain the safe haven for each and every child  
in your care.  
  
Thus Your idea to extend the number of supporting staff with one therapist was the right call.  
Albeit a costly post in the short perspective, I share your conviction that it will pay off fully in the long run.  
However talented the kids might be they will not reach their full potential  
unless mental or emotional obstacles are treated, and I talk from personal experience.

Therefore I've attached a cheque that hopefully will cover the expenses  
of the new staff member throughout the entirety of 2184.   
  
As you can see there is also a second cheque attached.  
This is for buying extra Christmas gifts for all children,  
and especially the three most newly arrived orphans.  
  
Given their background it will probably only do them good with some extra TLC this Christmas.  
And feel free to sign them with 'Jane Shepard'.

Feliz navidad to you all.

D. Ortega

_Shepard, Shepard_. _Where have I heard that name before?_ The Director contemplated.  
For more times Algada could count she had sensed an underlying authoritative tone to the Benefactor's email, and more than once these last years a certain name had emerged and flashed by in her mind.

Suddenly the name and the tragic incident earlier that year fell in place. _The Normandy_ , was it?  
  
 _Oh my god, could it really be..._ Algada didn't finish her astonishing line of thought. He came from Buenos Aires after all. And he had become an orphan while still only a child. 

On the other hand had he never acknowledged his heritage to her, and why should he - they rarely kept in contact and then only strictly professional of course - nor did he write in Castellan Spanish. And the few times Algada had seen him in interviews or on pictures he always appeared stern and immensely composed.

Far from a soft-hearted benefactor.

Bitter experience had on the other hand taught her that appearances could be deceiving.

Slowly awe filled Algada, if her hunch indeed was correct, their orphan network had a very powerful patron.


End file.
